2009: Deadlocked in Jersey

The Star-Ledger: "Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine's campaign yesterday promoted President Obama's Sunday visit to New Jersey, independent Chris Daggett accused Republicans of trying to push him from the race and Republican Chris Christie challenged Corzine to 'man up and say I'm fat' on a national broadcast."

The Skinny in New Jersey: In addition to saying that Corzine needs to "man up and call me fat," Christie also said on the Don Imus show, "I am setting an example, Don. We have to spur our economy. Dunkin' Donuts, International House of Pancakes, those people need to work, too." Christie also predicted that he'll be "a big fat winner" on Election Day. Meanwhile, Corzine is attacking Christie for likening early childhood education to government babysitting.

NEW YORK: The recent rash of endorsements in New York's special congressional election is putting Republican members of Congress in a tough spot between their conservative base and their party… [F]or most, it's a situation they'd rather avoid." And... "Playing off those announcements, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) on Wednesday began trying to put Republican Senate candidates on the spot in the special election, asking whom they would support."

Republican Dede Scozzafava has won the endorsement of the district's main newspaper, The Watertown Daily Times. The paper writes that Scozzafava is "best equipped" for the job, while Conservative Party challenger Doug Hoffman's "ideological stands could harm the district" and "the Democratic candidate [Bill Owens] has too much to learn about district issues and the job of governing." The endorsement comes a day after the Syracuse Post-Standard announced its backing of Owens because "he offers a clear and welcome contrast to both Scozzafava and Hoffman on major issues."

Federal stimulus spending has become a key issue in the NY-23 congressional race, as the Watertown Daily Times reports that the federal stimulus has put "$100 million into the 23rd Congressional District, but has saved or created only about 200 jobs." The Daily Times writes, "Opponents of president Obama's agenda are trying to use the issue to attack Democrat William L. Owens and, to a lesser degree, Republican Dierdre K. Scozzafava, who have both said they would have voted for it in Congress." Hoffman "criticized the stimulus for being directed toward municipal budgets or to special interest projects."

VIRGINIA: When asked why Democrat Creigh Deeds is trailing Republican challenger Bob McDonnell in recent gubernatorial polls, Deeds spokesman Mike Gehrke told the Washington Times, "It's money and how they spent it… Bob McDonnell has run more negative ads in the past several weeks than we've run ads in total." The Washington Times has the money breakdown: "Including money raised and spent in the primary, Mr. Deeds raised $16.2 million and spent $15.3 million, as of Oct. 21... [I]n the same period, Mr. McDonnell raised $21.5 million and spent $19.6 million."